Evolution
“I started out in cross-country running and track events. When I was 17 I decided to specialise a bit more, and the opportunity was there to try race walking. I started with a couple of
sessions over a few weeks, then I began to race, and once I started to win it snowballed from there.”
JO JACKSON: THE ESSENTIALS
Born: Jan 17, 1985, Middlesbrough
Club: Middlesbrough & Cleveland Harriers
Ranked UK number one since 2005
Race Walk UK Records:
20km: 90:41; 5km: 20:46
National 5km champion 6 times:
2005-2010
National 10km champion 6 times:
2005-2010
National 20km champion 4 times:
2006, 2007, 2009 & 2010
2010 Commonwealth Games:
20km gold medal (Time 94:22)
Gold standard: Mission accomplished for Jackson in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi (picture).
TRAINING
“Distances have increased gradually over the years. At my peak now I do about 120km
[74.5miles] a week. I train six days a week, twice a day. My week consists of two long walks, which will be anything from 90 minutes to two hours. I’ll also have a tempo session once a week. Those tempo sessions will be two 10-minute ‘out-and-backs’, or we have a stepping-stone session where we do 1,500 meters quick (just above race pace) and 1,500 meters just
below race pace. That’s a hard session that reaches over 12km – it’s my least favourite!
On a Monday evening we do a circuit training session for two hours, and we do a lot of core work and stretching before the circuits. We also do a drills and skills session and some ladder work [fast feet through a ladder on the floor]. We don’t do high knees in that ladder work, because we don’t need a high knee lift because of the straight leg and contact rule in race walking. We have a gym session too, where we do a few weight-assisted exercises, lunges with the bar and medicine ball work. Specific walking drills are some of the most important things we do, because in a race you can be disqualified for incorrect technique. The leg has to be straight when it makes contact with the ground until it’s underneath you, for example, and one foot has to be in contact with the ground at all times.”
Jackson covers
up to 120km
a week in
training.
FOOTWEAR
“I wear the Asics Hyperspeed; they are like a pair of running fl ats because race walkers need a light shoe that’s quite fl exible. We also need quite a short heel, so these shoes are not too
built up. The Asics Hyperspeed shoes are quite popular with race walkers.”
DIET
“As an endurance athlete, I eat more carbohydrates than the average person; that’s the only real difference to a normal, healthy diet – more carbs and a bit less fat. Lots of pasta and rice – it can get a bit dull though! I try to bring in a bit of variety but at training camps it doesn’t vary much – I’ve never eaten so much rice than at Doha before the 2010 Commonwealths. 50k walkers use gels and that kind of thing, but we don’t need it at 20k. I do drink Gatorade to help me refuel.”
TIP FROM THE TOP
“You’ve got to have a specifi c race walking coach if you want to take it seriously; which can be a problem as there aren’t that many around. You can’t just go off on your own if you want to get to a high level. Because it’s such a technical event, especially when you start racing, you need help on technique.”
Tags: active, commonwealth, diet, footwear, gold, Jo Jackson, Running, training
